Paper-weight



(No Model.) I

P. S. TOWNSEND.

PAPER WEIGHT.

No. 470,222.. Patented Mar. '82, 1892.

IIWEIVTOI? ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PHILIP S. TOIVN SEND, QF ROCHESTER, NEl/V YORK.

PAPER-WEIGHT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 470,222, dated Ma Application filed July 3, 1891. Serial No. 398,415- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PHILIP STOWNSEND, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paper-Weights; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,'reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

Prior to myinvention paper-weights for containing pictures or photographs have been made of slabs or solid blocks of glass, to the rear side of which the pictures have been socured directly by cement, or a covering of paper 0r pasteboard has been provided on the lower side, between which and the glass the picture has been secured; but such devices have not been received with much favor because of the liability of the pictures becoming detached from the glass either from the inability of the cement to hold it or else by reason of the wearing of the edges of the outer paper or similar material.

My present invention has for its objects to remedy the objections incident to the above construction and to providea device in which, if a transparent slab is employed, a picture can be readily inserted, and, if desired, removed, and one which will also be simple and cheap in construction; and to these ends it consists in certain novelties of construction and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter described, and the novel features pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View of a paper-weight constructed in accordance with my invention, one end being broken away to show the construction more readily; Fig. 2, a longitudinal sectional View; Fig. 3, a cross-sectional view; Fig. 4, a perspective view of one end of the frame;

Fig. 5, a horizontal sectional view on theline w a: of Fig. 2.

Similar numerals of reference in the several figures indicate similar parts.

1 indicates the slab or body constituting the main portion of the Weight, preferably of glass or similar transparent material, and 2 the frame or base by means of which the photograph or other picture may be attached. In

the present instance the body 1 is of rectangular oblong form with beveled edges, but may be of any other desired shape, and the frame 2 is also of similar form,being provided with flanges 3 on the inner sides and ends, upon which the body and the edges of the picture 4 are supported. These flanges may extend only a short distance inward, as shown, or may be extended clear across the bottom of the frame, if preferred, inany event being of sufficient length to support the body, or, if desired, a picture and the body, and, if the picture is light or it is desirable, abacking of card-board or other similar material may be provided, resting on said flanges.

At one or both ends of the frame, preferably both, are provided securing devices for fastening it to the body 1, consisting in the present instance of springs 5, secured at their middle in recesses 6 in the end of the frame, their free ends projecting outward and engaging recesses 7, formed in the lower portlon of the body-piece 1 by molding or grinding, and said springs are provided at their lower ends with depending projections or lugs 8, projecting below the body 1 sufficiently far to enable the operator to grasp and disengage the ends from the body when it is desired to remove it, though prevented from engaging the support on which the device rests by the lower portion of the frame, as in Figs. 2 and 3.

It is obvious that, if desired, the springs, 1nstead of having both ends projecting and engaging the body 1, could have only one of them arranged at the center; butI prefer the arrangement shown, as it prevents any possible movement of the body relative to the frame, and by having the side of the spring engage the body there is less liability of its becoming set or accidentally disengaged; also,

instead of making the body oblong, as shown,

it could as well be square, octagonal, round, or shaped otherwise, as desired, and the frame be conveniently and cheaply made of sheet metal and ornamented in any preferred manner.

I do not wish to be confined to the use of a body of transparent material-as glass through which a picture may be seen,though I prefer this.

I claim as my invention-- 1. In a paper-weight, the combination, with the body or slab, of the frame having the supporting-flanges, and the securing-springssecured in the frame and engaging recesses in the body, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the transparent body or slab, of the frame having the supporting-flanges, and the springs located in the frame and engaging the recesses in the body, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the body or slab, of the frame having the snpportingflanges, and the springs engaging the body, having the depending projections, substantially as de scribed.

4. The combination, with the body or slab, of the frame having the supporting-flanges, and the springs secured at their centers to the frame, with the ends adapted to engage the slab and the depending projections, substantially as described.

PHILIP S. TOWNSEND.

Witnesses:

FRED F. CHURCH, A. A. DAVIS.. 

